Skye Camanachd U17 and Lochaber U17 meet in the London Shield Final at Braeview Park, Beauly on Saturday 13 November 2010.

Skye Camanachd U17 won the 2009 London Shield Final when they beat Glenurquhart U17 2-1 at Battery Park, Lochcarron on Saturday 14 November 2009.

The early exchanges were fairly even and although Glenurquhart started well, Skye Camanachd went on to enjoy the bulk of the first half pressure.

Skye made the vital break-through on 18 minutes when Danny Morrison picked up a ball from midfield and unleashed a ferocious drive on goal. Glen keeper Ryan Brady did well to block the shot with his feet but Skye’s Ally MacDonald pounced on the rebound to first time the ball into the back of the net.

Skye had a chance to increase their lead a couple of minutes later when they were awarded a penalty for a kick by Glenurquhart keeper Brady. Danny Morrison’s penalty was sweetly struck but it rose just over the bar.

The Skye centre line was dominating the game with captain Neil MacVicar getting the better of Fraser Heath in midfield and Ian Morrison, who scored the winning penalty in the semi final, cancelling out the threat of Ewan Brady on the wing.

Ally MacLeod replaced Paul MacKinnon as Skye tried to turn their first half pressure into a bigger advantage but the young Islanders had to settle for a one goal lead at the break.

Skye started the second half well and Ally MacDonald went close following a poor Glenurquhart by-hit.

Referee Evan MacRae was called into action 10 minutes into the second period when Glenurquhart forward Calum Smith reacted badly to a challenge from Skye’s Martin Bruce. The referee consulted goal judge Billy MacLeod before booking both players with Smith fortunate to stay on the pitch. The referee restarted the match with a throw up between the 2 players.

Several meaty challenges followed until Sam Cumming was hauled up for a late challenge on Skye’s Shaun Hedley. Referee MacRae again consulted with goal judge MacLeod before flashing a red card. He initially sent off Glenurquhart’s Kelvin MacKenzie who got involved in the initial incident but following a further intervention by MacLeod, MacKenzie was recalled to the field of play and Glenurquhart’s Sam Cumming received a red card for his initial challenge. Hedley received a yellowcard for his part in the fracas.

Although they were a man short, Glenurquhart went on to enjoy their best period of the game. However they found the Skye defence, with Martin Bruce and Ian Grant in the middle and Shaun Hedley and Neil John Campbell on the wings, to be in no mood to surrender their sides lead.

Skye went 2-0 up after 64 minutes when Stewart Grant intercepted a poor by-hit and played in substitute John Gillies on the left. Gillies played a perfectly weighted return to the overlapping Stewart Grant who unleashed a thunderous 30 yard drive which flew into the Glen net.

The youngsters from Drumnadrochit did not let their heads drop though and just a couple of minutes later a looping cross from Ewan Brady on the Glenurquhart left was deflected into the net by a Skye defender.

The Glen were lifted by the goal and they put the Skye defence under pressure but Scott MacLeod, hero of the semi final penalty shoot-out against Lochaber, marshaled his back line well.

Daniel Morrison replaced the effective Jordan Murchison in the closing stages and Skye finished the match on the offensive and they certainly did enough to deserve their victory. The whole Skye defence was excellent and whilst Neil MacVicar prompted the midfield, he was ably assisted by a man of the match performance from Stewart Grant and a tireless display from Danny Morrison in attack.

Neil MacVicar became the first Skye captain to lift the London Shield since 2002 when he was presented with the shield in front of a large Skye support by Graeme Cormack from the Camanachd Association.